Our Cardinals will be looking to get back on track and looking to get a quality win on Sunday afternoon when SMU comes to town for an AAC showdown. SMU and Louisville are meeting for the ninth time, the first time since the quarterfinal round of the 1987 Rainbow Classic when UL won 87-79. The Cards lead the series 6-2. Sunday’s game is the first collegiate match-up for Hall of Famers Larry Brown and Rick Pitino. The two met 17 times in the NBA (Brown 11-6). SMU is coming into this game 11-3 after their first win over a ranked opponent (UCONN) since 2003 and on the cusp of being ranked in the top 25.

Southern Methodist may not Jump out to everyone as a respectable opponent or national contender, but boy are they ever. Larry Brown is a helluva coach and he has assembled a roster that can compete with any team in the American and the country. They return four starters from last season, Nick Russell (8.5 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 3.6 apg), Ryan Manuel (5.4 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 1.3 apg), Cannen Cunningham (4.7 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 0.6 apg), and Shawn Williams (4.3 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 0.7 apg). They have three transfers giving them great production with leading scorers Nic Moore (13.9 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 4.6 apg), Markus Kennedy (10.4 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.2 apg), and Yanick Moreira (9.1 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 0.6 apg). Moreira is injured and will not play against the Cards. SMU also signed one of the best shooting guards in the country in McDonald’s All-American Keith Frazier (6.5pts, 2.0rpg, 1.4apg). This team has seven players averaging at least 5.4 points. Nic Moore and Markus Kennedy are averaging double figures. Individually, Nic Moore is second in the American and first nationally in 3-point percentage (.547). This is one of those teams that can come out of nowhere this year and be the surprise of the college basketball season. They are deep, talented and versatile and this may turn out to be one of Louisville’s toughest opponents of the season.

SMU is shooting 50.2 percent (1st American, 6th NCAA) and 41.5 percent from 3-point range (2nd American, 9th NCAA) while averaging 15.9 assists (2nd AAC, 26th NCAA). The team is averaging 73.5 points per game and have outscored all 14 opponents in the paint by an average of 34.9-18.9. On defense, SMU is holding opponents to 35.8 percent from the field (1st American, 2nd NCAA) and 61.6 points per game (2nd AAC, 21st NCAA). SMU has held 18 of its last 23 (12 of 14 this year) opponents under 40% shooting. SMU is also leading the league in rebound margin (+8.9, 10th NCAA), out-rebounding 13 of 14 opponents.

SMU’s
2013-14 OVERALL RANKINGS
-POINTS PER GAME
73.5
155th
OVERALL
-REBOUNDS PER GAME
38.6
62nd
OVERALL
-ASSISTS PER GAME
15.9
28th
OVERALL
-FIELD GOAL PCT
.502
6th
OVERALL

Kenpom Ranks
Overall – #37
Defense Adjustment Efficiency
– 97.6 ranks 63rd
Offensive Adjustment Efficiency
– 113.0 ranks 37th

All of SMU’s statistics and the things they are excelling at as a team is a recipe for disaster for a Louisville team that is struggling in every phase of the game. Our Cards are lost on defense and don’t have any clear direction on the offensive end of the floor. They will have to get back to fundamental basketball in a hurry if they even want to compete against an SMU group that is trending upward. Coach Pitino and the team seemed very disappointed after the loss to Memphis and hopefully it was the wake up call they needed to get things back on track. If they haven’t got the message the last couple days in practice they will get it loud and clear on Sunday afternoon. If they play like they did against Memphis they will get ran off the court by SMU. It’s gut check time!